50 Best Romantic Getaways 2010

London’s Firmdale Group brings the spirit of Soho to a cobblestoned lane in the other SoHo. The new 86-room Crosby Street Hotel feels very much a part of its vibrant, intimately scaled neighborhood: the restaurant-bar has become a local favorite, and the salon-like lobby is filled from morning to midnight. Kit Kemp’s bold interiors manage to challenge and soothe the eye all at once: austere charcoal-gray wall coverings set off pastel headboards; soft silk curtains frame steel warehouse windows; gritty brick façades background a lush rooftop garden. Doubles from $495. —Peter Jon Lindberg

Even after serving as the backdrop for countless fashion-magazine photo shoots, the Moorings Village & Spa—18 brightly accented cottages connected to the beach by wooden walkways on a former coconut plantation in the Florida Keys—still seems like your own secret discovery. Lush, almost jungle-like landscaping gives way to a private white-sand beach with swaying hammocks and a thatched-roof dock. Book a snorkeling trip à deux with Bay and Reef Co. (tours from $250) to view a multicolored swirl of marine life and the 136-year-old lighthouse; then return to your porch to feast on succulent stone crab. Cottages from $275. —Irene Edwards

Amateur cooks now have access to the culinary secrets of Paris’s top chefs at the nine-month-old École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse. On a quiet residential block in the 16th Arrondissement, Romain Corbière, former head chef at Ducasse’s Le Relais du Parc, leads small classes with the help of such topflight toques as Christophe Moret, from Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée. A day might start with a trip to a farmers’ market to pick up ingredients for a soupe au pistou, followed by a hands-on demonstration of dishes like blanquette de veau. Classes from $248 per day. —Claire Downey

High above the small town of Avon, Beaver Creek sits, like Oz, at the end of a serpentine road. Known for its downhill slopes, the town also has snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and plenty of après-ski appeal. Reward yourself with a five-course dinner at the elegant Beano’s Cabin, a mid-mountain log cabin accessible only by sleigh ride. Or sample Wolfgang Puck's cuisine at Spago in the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch. In the summer, enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the Rockies, or go hiking in them. The Vail Valley is also home to over nine courses, including Red Sky Ranch and the Beaver Creek Golf Course. 970-754-3463; Dinner for two $210; reservations essential. —Meg Lukens Noonan

There’s something particularly romantic about South Carolina’s low country: roads lined with moss-draped trees lead to tiny coastal towns, where there are plenty of places to try the region’s famed oysters. From Charleston, head north for 40 miles on Highway 17 to the fishing village of McClellanville, stopping at T.W. Graham & Co. Seafood Restaurant (lunch for two $35) for a lunch of fried oysters. And in Georgetown, the Rice Paddy Restaurant (dinner for two $92) is known for its oyster pies. Twenty miles north is Murrells Inlet, where bivalves come steamed or on the half shell at the Inlet Crab House Restaurant & Raw Bar (dinner for two $61). —Sandy Lang

Thanks to its latitude, Hawaii is a celestial mecca (it’s one of the only states with views of both the North Star and the Southern Cross). At the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, director of astronomy Eddie Mahoney ushers couples to the rooftop, where a 16-inch reflector telescope is set up next to strawberries and Château Michelle champagne. Ask Mahoney to point out your astrological constellations, then head downstairs to Kaanapali Beach to watch bioluminescent creatures light up the waves. Doubles from $311; Romance Tour of the Stars package $70 for two. —Kathryn O’Shea-Evans

The pleasures are simple on the tiny islet of Furillen, off Sweden’s Gotland Island: clear blue skies, deserted beaches, and fresh seafood. Here you’ll find Fabriken Furillen, a former limestone quarry transformed into Sweden’s farthest-flung design hotel. Locally sourced sheepskin rugs and handcrafted Midcentury furniture give the seemingly spare six cabins an alluring warmth, while Bang & Olufsen stereos and flat-screen TV’s lend the 15 rooms in the main house a modern edge. Doubles from $289. —Catesby Holmes

The pedestrian Hauptstrasse in Heidelberg, Germany, is lined with classic cafés—Schafheutle, Rossi, and Knoesel—that overlook the Neckar River, serve up first-rate Milchkaffee and luscious chocolate tortes, and offer the best vantage point for people-watching. Stay at the Heidelberg Suites, a converted 19th-century villa across the Karl Theodor bridge, where 26 rooms are done up with heroic busts, deer antlers, and etched mirrors; most have views of the city’s medieval castle. Doubles from $422. —Shane Mitchell

Lavender, geranium, and mint are some of the scents that may inspire you during GoLearnTo.com’s weekend perfumery course in France’s verdant Languedoc region. In a sprawling 18th-century farmhouse near Montpellier, study base and top notes and concoct your own signature scent. In the evening, meals—spit-roasted pork paired with wine from nearby vineyards—are served before guests retreat to the antiques-filled rooms. You get to take your bespoke creation home in a carry-on container that meets airlines’ requisite three-ounce limit. Four-day courses from $633, including lodging and meals. —Rachel Felder

The olive-oil maker Armando Manni’s one-bedroom Casa Manni Roma is an Adam Tihany–designed space overlooking the Piazza Colonna. The real draw here is access to Manni’s black book: request a private agnolotti-making class with Oretta Zanini de Vita, Italy’s mistress of handmade pasta, or a decadent four-handed Thai couples massage at Acanto, a spa favored by well-heeled locals. Manni can also arrange a Roman Holiday–esque tour by vintage Piaggio. Daily rentals from $800, two-night minimum. —Maria Shollenbarger

Beyond the crowded Rialto, this city is more than gondolas and Gorgonzola. In the serene Accademia neighborhood, just beyond the Campo San Stefano, the 22-room Palazzina Grassi has a superb collection of Modernist glass from Murano masters in a sparkling space designed by Philippe Starck. The bar is molto romantico for Prosecco cocktails and the canal-side restaurant turns out a perfect raviolo. Doubles from $483. —Shane Mitchell

For a truly otherworldly trip down the slopes, nothing beats full-moon skiing at Diavolezza, the most spectacular of St. Moritz’s five ski areas. Once a month, a tram drops night-owl skiers off at the craggy peak’s nearly 10,000-foot summit, which affords jaw-dropping views of the glacial Bernina Range. The 3,000-foot vertical trail is blanketed in soft blue light. After a few runs, take the lift back to the top for a traditional Swiss dinner of Bündnerfleisch, Rösti potatoes, and cheese fondue at the Berghaus Diavolezza restaurant. Lift tickets from $30. —James Jung

On an 18-acre plot here, hotelier Liz Lambert has created the ultimate retreat for couples looking to get away from it all—El Cosmico, a collection of five expertly restored vintage travel trailers (including two Spartans and a Vagabond). Each has a mini-kitchen, glossy birch-veneer walls, and beds topped with Bolivian wool blankets. For a dose of culture, visit the neighboring Chinati Foundation (artist Donald Judd’s military fort turned 340-acre art museum). Doubles from $75. —Kathryn O’Shea-Evans

Decadence abounds inside London’s new Dorchester Spa, an ivory-and-coral-colored subterranean paradise with cream chiffon curtains and a chandelier made from 72,000 South Pacific pearls. Seasoned aesthetician Vaishaly has developed a menu of facials, administered in enormous, mood-lit double treatment suites. Afterward, wrap yourselves in oversize robes and slip past the large glass doors to the relaxation room, where you’ll find fresh lychee juice, copies of the latest glossies, and plenty of Louis Roederer champagne. Treatments from $90. —Maria Shollenbarger

Set high on a mile-long headland with sweeping views of the Channel, the 1863 Start Point Lighthouse is flanked by keepers’ quarters, which were recently transformed into two charming cottages. Inside you’ll find pillowy beds, modern kitchens, fireplaces, and a basket filled with English Breakfast tea and freshly baked bread. Don’t miss the spectacular walk along a stretch of the adjacent South West Coast Path trail. Doubles from $310, two-night minimum. —Amy Traverso

The recently redone Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, situated on a private 300-acre island 10 minutes by boat from Antigua, is still the standard-bearer of Caribbean luxury. Following a $28 million reconstruction, 28 new suites have ocean views and outdoor bathtubs in lush private courtyards. But the most exciting addition is the property’s first-ever spa, Sense, an open-air facility with a garden just 50 feet from the beach; book the Sense Hammock Massage treatment for two. Doubles from $1,350, all-inclusive. —Tom Austin

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has perfected the island escape with a new eastern Caribbean itinerary on the Seven Seas Navigator. The cruise begins in Fort Lauderdale and continues on to classic ports of call on St. Bart’s, St. Maarten, and Virgin Gorda. On a special stop in Princess Cays, a private island in the Bahamas, you’ll be treated to beach barbecues and Jet Skiing; in the Dominican Republic, guided excursions lead you through mangrove swamps in Los Haitises National Park. But why leave the ship at all? Thanks to a recent renovation, all 245 cabins now have ocean views, and many have private decks—an ideal vantage point when you’re arriving in Puerto Rico and San Juan’s imposing fortress emerges on the horizon. 10-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from $5,065 per person round trip, including airfare from select cities. —Lisa Cheng

Inspired by an era of horse-drawn carriages and cricket matches, Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa is the first luxury resort to open on Bermuda in almost four decades. Situated on 200 acres overlooking Castle Harbour, the hotel’s 88 guest rooms come with everything you could hope for in an old-world Caribbean retreat: mahogany beds, deep soaking tubs, and balconies. The white-tablecloth Point Restaurant & Terrace showcases local ingredients—caramelized sea scallops; pecan-and-herb-crusted sea bass—and is adorned with large murals depicting 19th-century clipper ships. Doubles from $340. —Tom Austin

The rooftop of the six-story Algodon Mansion, overlooking the posh Recoleta neighborhood’s French-colonial buildings, is the perfect spot for a sunset tango (arrange a lesson through the hotel). This Belle Époque gem has just 10 suites, each with cavernous limestone-and-marble bathrooms and ebony floors; most have views of the hotel’s central atrium and its two-story waterfall. The spa offers organic, wine-inspired treatments, a rewarding end to a day spent exploring the colorful cityscape. Doubles from $400. —Jaime Gross

Adventurous couples can live out their Tarzan-and-Jane fantasies at Tree House Lodge, a secluded spot in the rain forest on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean shore. The four individual bungalows, with wide-open canopy views, are made from fallen tropical hardwoods. The most dramatic of these—the eponymous Tree House—is a bi-level cottage built around the trunk of a rare sangrillo tree. Inside, a whimsical bamboo-walled shower and an elevated master bedroom (reached via palm-thatched suspension bridge) are perfect for watching howler monkeys rustle in the treetops. Doubles from $200. —Carolina Miranda

At One&Only Palmilla, on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, splurge on dinner in a hidden Sonoran canyon. You’ll be chauffeured in the resort’s own Hummer to this high-desert feast, where a table for two is illuminated by a bonfire and flickering candles. Share chilled champagne and dine on grilled meats and fresh salads, then take turns at the telescope set up to spot celestial bodies above the Pacific. Doubles from $675; dinner for two $1,210. —Shane Mitchell

Between the central Cotopaxi and Tungurahua volcanoes 124 miles south of Quito lies Nevado Roses—the antithesis of your grandmother’s flower garden. More than 3 million rosebushes bloom in tidy rows, wafting their heady fragrance into the air. Roberto Nevado, who has co-owned this 90-acre plot since 1996 with his son John, will walk you through the harvest, pointing out varieties that grow improbably tall at this altitude (9,000 feet). Handpick your favorites—a fiery Lina or an organic Flaming Pale Pink—and the bouquet will be waiting for you when you return home. Tours from $25. —Kathryn O’Shea-Evans

In winter, this snug town appeals for its art galleries, tequila cantinas, challenging black diamond trails at Kachina Peak, and sunny climate. At the base of Lift 4, halfway up the mountain, schuss into the Bavarian Lodge & Restaurant to warm up by a traditional Kachelofen tile stove. The four Alpine-chic chalets—designed by Alexandra Champalimaud—are done up with organic linens, stainless-steel fireplaces, and reproductions of 1950’s ski posters on the walls. Chalets from $750. —Shane Mitchell

The just-renovated Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay sits on a crescent of soft sand that’s alluring enough by day—and now even lovelier after dark, thanks to the resort’s new Beds on the Beach nights. Every Tuesday and Saturday evening, dozens of votives are set alight in the sand, surrounding 20 canopied lounge beds swathed in colorful silk. Barefoot waitstaff bring cocktails and Asian-inspired tapas, while jazz music plays and the sunset blazes across the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, lingering is strongly encouraged. Doubles from $680; dinner for two $250. —Peter Jon Lindberg

On the wild plains of Rajasthan—just an hour south of Jodhpur—the Mihir Garh is a palatial fortress hotel with an impressive stable of indigenous Marwari steeds. Take one on a maharajah-worthy journey through the desert or on a staff-guided picnic safari to a Bishnoi tribal village. Then come home to one of the nine enormous guest suites (each is over 1,700 square feet), which are done up in Rajasthani textiles and rich fabrics that will put the final touches on your storybook adventure. Doubles from $313, including meals. —Shane Mitchell

The Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, full of bamboo groves and Zen temples, is the site of the city’s newest—and most exquisite—ryokan, or traditional inn. Hoshinoya Kyoto has 25 guest rooms along the banks of the Hozu River, each with Japanese futons, yellow cedar bathtubs, and delicate rice-paper screens. In the morning, you can have a Japanese breakfast delivered to your room—nabe hot pot served with tofu and local vegetables—and sit by the window, against a backdrop of maple and cherry trees. Doubles from $671. —Jaime Gross

This region’s highlight is the winery-filled Tamar Valley. At the Ninth Island Vineyard, reserve a table at Daniel Alps at Strathlynn (lunch for two $132), for fresh regional dishes such as Spring Bay scallops in a leek-and-thyme butter sauce. The restored Quamby Estate—a 17 1/2-mile drive from the city of Launceston—was once the centerpiece of an 1820’s ranch. Now set within serene English gardens, the sprawling, contemporary-style homestead has been renovated into 10 spacious suites with colonial antiques and views of the surrounding farmland. Doubles from $345. —Anthony Dennis

In the South Pacific, 400 miles southwest of Tahiti, you’ll find the lesser-known Cook Islands, an ideal playground for snorkeling, kayaking, and motu walking (the local pastime of wading in the shallow waters between islets). Rising from one of these white-sand motu is Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa—which has the island chain’s only overwater bungalows as well as the new Villa Te Arau, a mod-Maori haven with black-pearl-shell inlays, woven-pandanus walls, and a private pool. This is the place to spend days learning to pluck a ukulele or dozing in the double-wide hammock. Doubles from $287, villa from $1,000. —Christine Ciarmello

Few views are as stage-set for romance as the one over Stellenbosch Valley and the Western Cape Winelands, with acres of vineyards, white Cape Dutch houses, and dramatic mountains. Now there’s a prime spot from which to take it all in: the newly renovated Delaire Graff Estate. The property’s contemporary-art collection is a carefully edited selection of some of South Africa’s finest working artists. Take an extravagant wine tutorial in the state-of-the-art tasting lounge, with flights of Delaire reds and whites and organic food pairings. Lunch for two $80. —Maria Shollenbarger

This island is famous for its aromatic spices, Swahili culture, and most of all, its isolated beaches. At Kilindi, on a sun-bleached crescent opposite Tumbatu Island, 15 domed limestone pavilions are tucked along a tidal bay where wooden dhows still ply the aquamarine waters. Here, luxury comes with a light footprint—rainwater collected on the roofs of the cottages is used to water the lush gardens. The white-on-white rooms are within earshot of the surf. Doubles from $1,300, including all meals. —Shane Mitchell

Following in the footsteps of explorers Captain James Cook and Ernest Shackleton, Silversea Cruises’ 17-day Explorer’s Antarctica has all the adventure of an expedition with a minimal amount of roughing it. The 132-passenger Prince Albert II embarks from Ushuaia, Argentina, and heads toward the Falkland Islands. You’ll get 360-degree views of hulking glaciers, blue icebergs, and snowcapped peaks from the two top-deck, glass-enclosed whirlpools. For up-close encounters with wildlife (southern fur seals; albatross; chinstrap penguins), book a naturalist-guided tour on one of eight Zodiacs. This takes the phrase “getting away from it all” to a new level. 17-day itinerary from $7,926 per person. —Lisa Cheng

Affordable inns and restaurants, plus world-class diving, snorkeling, and windsurfing are making this 112-square-mile island one of the Caribbean’s best spots. La Pura Vista is like staying at your fabulous wealthy uncle’s villa—except he’s out of town. Four of the five breezy rooms face the brick-lined pool; breakfast is from 8 to 10 a.m., and the front desk is staffed until noon; after that, it’s all yours. At Cactus Blue (dinner for two $60), British expat Hagen Wegerer, a dive instructor turned chef, makes a stellar lime-and-ginger Caribbean shrimp. He’ll tell you where the best snorkeling spots on the island are (take his advice and go to 1,000 Steps). Doubles from $195.

One of the largest islands in the French West Indies, Martinique attracts Francophiles looking for an affordable alternative to St. Bart’s. At the 50-suite Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa, on Martinique’s verdant eastern coast, a Guerlain spa and Creole fusion cuisine add Gallic spice to a modern plantation-style hotel decorated with vibrant madras fabrics. Take your cue from the French clientele and touch up your tan Euro-style (read: topless). After sunset, dance to steel drums in the lounge. Stop by the hotel’s restaurant, Le Belem, for grilled lobster. Doubles from $500.

This cluster of 99 islands off Malaysia’s northwestern coast is a relative neophyte when it comes to tourism. Most of the main island remains a nature-lover’s paradise, swathed in mangrove and tropical rain forests, and it was recently designated a UNESCO Geopark—the first in Southeast Asia. Much of Langkawi retains its traditional charm, on view in Pantai Cenang at the Bon Ton Resort, a small village of formerly dilapidated Malay wooden houses transformed into stylish lodgings by hotelier Narelle McMurtrie. Doubles from $150. (450 MYR = $135 1/2010)